Archive for January, 2012

Portland, Oregon punk metal miscreants TOXIC HOLOCAUST are pleased to announce an additional run of dates with New York street punks The Casualties. The tour will serve as an extension to an already bludgeoning stretch of shows alongside English Dogs, The Casualties and Havok, set to commence on February 10 in Baltimore.

TOXIC HOLOCAUST will be touring in support of the infinitely punishing Conjure And Command full-length released via Relapse Records last year. The record, which Revolver championed for its “nuclear reactive riffage and Repo Man punk attitude,” continues to earn critical accolades. Cvlt Nation noted: “TOXIC HOLOCAUST have given fans a record that they will be able to devour now and for fucking years to come,” and The Onion’s A.V. Club opined: “sweetly redolent of thrash, d-beat, and raw sewage, the album simmers with tar-thick riffage, staggering breakdowns, and a corroded dose of self-loathing,.” The Washington City Paper agreed saying: “…it’s refreshing to hear a thrash band that is so single-minded about its whirlwind riffs and pastor-baiting lyrics,” while Hails & Horns praised: “If The Exploited and Nuclear Assault had a kid, TOXIC HOLOCAUST would take it’s lunch money and toss it in the dumpster.”

Conjure And Command is out now internationally and available across several formats including a limited edition, deluxe CD and DVD set that includes a full TOXIC HOLOCAUST live show. The album is available for purchase through Relapse HERE and iTunes HERE. In addition, check out the iTunes bonus track from the record — a cover of Repulsion’s “Helga Lost Her Head” –- at the band’s OFFICIAL FACEBOOK PAGE.

Details on some of the year’s filthiest, scathing sludge metal comes to light today, as LORD MANTIS prepare to unleash their second full-length album onto the human race in the weeks ahead. Candlelight Records now confirms that March 13th is the day that Pervertor shall crawl forth from the blackest corners of civilization and assert the name LORD MANTIS as the fresh scourge mankind should fear.

Chicago-based LORD MANTIS is comprised of bassist/vocalist Charlie Fell (Nachtmystium, Von, Von Venien), drummer Bill Bumgardner (Indian), and guitarists Andrew Markuszewski (Avichi, Nachtmystium, Von, Von Venien) and Greg Gomer. Undoubtedly one of the most vile releases of 2012, Pervertor is the follow-up to the horde’s 2009-released Seventh Rule Recordings debut, Spawning The Nephilim, the new LP exemplifying their pungent, hateful surge more than ever. Pervertor was put to tape with Sanford Parker (Nachtmystium, Pelican, Indian), liberating the organic filth of the hymns with maximum destroying power.

Today the public can hear “At the Mouth,” the fist track to be released from Pervertor via NPR’s All Things Considered blog, who notes that the song “comes from several places at once: Swarming blast beats invade a Neurosis-style galloping rhythm section, a perverted sense of melody reigns in the metallic chaos of early Today Is the Day and, at 1:27, those raspy screams give new meaning to ’sick vocals.’”

KING GIANT’s new LP, Dismal Hollow, is officially available today, now available for purchase worldwide via deluxe digital download, on digipak CD and on 180-gram gatefold LP, the latter available in swamp green with bone swirl, and bone with gold haze color schemes.

The album was recorded at Inner Ear Studio (Minor Threat, Fugazi, Avail, Jawbox, Dave Grohl) and flows with nearly fifty minutes of KING GIANT’s homage-laden southern doom metal portrayed at its finest yet. Internationally-based print and online magazines are currently running rampant with praise of Dismal Hollow’s anthem-ridden assault, and of KING GIANT’s wholly soulful and authentic overall approach.

In support of the mammoth Dismal Hollow’s unveiling, The Obelisk are celebrating the day with a full stream of the entire album now! Fans can also sign up to win a KING GIANT prize pack, including a signed Dismal Hollow LP, a Marshall KT66 power tube USB drive from Power Tunes (the brainchild of Will Sprague of The Crimson Electric) loaded with a Southern Darkness and Dismal Hollow, and more.

Rue Morgue Magazine recently premiered of the first single from Dismal Hollow, “Appomattox,” the video capturing a gritty, apocalyptic, backwoods zombie attack. The album was also featured as “Album of the Day” on Roadburn’s official website.

KING GIANT is in the process of lining up select dates and touring for later in the year to be announced as they develop.

Dismal Hollow can be purchased worldwide at Best Buy, FYE, Amazon, Music Direct, Barnes and Noble, Newbury Comics, Soundstage Direct, CD Universe and many others, and in Europe via HMV and Plastichead.

“There are eight irresistible rock masterpieces on this release. This album is almost perfect in every detail. 9.5/10″ – Doommantia

“The Virginia quintet has a righteous boner for folk, and uses the rich tapestry of the American Civil War, backwoods lore, and all kinds of Americana miscellanea to source the lyrical inspiration that binds Dismal Hollow in one narrative thread. 8/10″ – Decibel

“Where Dismal Hollow reaches its peak is with the innate ability to make each song worthy of acclaim on its own, without having to hold up the rest of the album. 4/5″ – About.com

“King Giant play odes to boozing, bloodshed, and one of the finest bits of instrumental doom in recent memory.” – No Clean Singing

“Wrecking ball riffs come wrapped in a down home doom that makes the album’s eight songs sound like a moonshine’d Danzig dragging a bloated corpse through the dirt and dry leaves.” – Broken Beard

“Here’s hoping that the tales of Appalachian decadence and discontent found on Dismal Hollow will turn King Giant into troubadours for all the world to hear… because, by God this album deserves to be heard.” – Heavy Planet

“What if instead of hailing from the industrial brimstone of Birmingham, England, Black Sabbath had risen from the backwoods of Appalachia? Odds are, I think, that the result would sound quite a lot like King Giant’s Dismal Hollow… 4/5″ – Metal Underground

Today popular music portal MetalSucks premieres “Redwoods,” from Houston progressive instrumentalists SCALE THE SUMMIT.The tune wasrecorded during The Collective sessions that to date has only been available on the Japanese version of the 2011 critically lauded full-length.

In related news, Prosthetic Records recently issued The Collective on vinyl. The LP — limited to 500 copies on high-quality 180-gram wax — is available NOW at the Prosthetic Store and features enhanced cover art as well as the “Redwoods” bonus track. The Collective, called “terrifyingly good” and “essential prog” by Guitar World, was recorded in late 2010 at Paint It Black Studios in Orlando, Florida with producer Mark Lewis (Devildriver, All That Remains, The Black Dahlia Murder). It was supported by five North American tours in 2011 with SCALE THE SUMMIT playing alongside the likes of Periphery, Protest The Hero, The Human Abstract, Fair To Midland, Cynic and 3.

In related news, SCALE THE SUMMIT are currently scouring the lands on their first ever headlining tour. The Their Strings Are Voices tour commenced in their hometown of Houston last Friday. Support is being provided by Elitist at most shows. To coincide with their Los Angeles appearance TONIGHT, the band will be doing an in-store signing at Sound Check in Hollywood. The signing will begin at 6:00PM. For more info, visit: http://www.soundcheckhollywood.com.

SCALE THE SUMMIT formed in 2005 while attending the Musicians’ Institute in Los Angeles. The band relocated to Texas in 2006, where they recorded their self-released debut album. After signing with Prosthetic, they released Carving Desert Canyons, which Revolver called “a cinematic blast of intricately melodic fretwork and pummeling percussion,” in 2009. The band subsequently toured with Dream Theater, Devin Townsend and Between The Buried And Me, among others. SCALE THE SUMMIT also has tracks available for the Rock Band video game through the Rock Band Network, while Chris Letchford was recently featured in MetalSucks’ “Top 25 Modern Guitarists” list.

“There are moments where the bass is front and center (‘Colossal’), moments when the percussion sounds like rainfall instead of jackhammers and more of the time you’ll just want to close your eyes and drift off to your mind’s sweet-spot utopia with The Collective as the soundtrack. – 8/10 Decibel

“They uncover the beauty of ‘Secret Earth,’ measure the weight of ‘Whales,’ and float through the Gulf Stream with ‘The Levitated.’ Every time they embark on an excursion, they discover new paths. And those paths are worth following.” – 9/10 Outburn

This weekend, Portland, Oregon-based crust punk icons FROM ASHES RISE entered the studio to lay down two vicious new anthems for Southern Lord Recordings. The crushing recording session marks the first time the band recorded in nine years!

Recorded at Audible Alchemy, engineered by Bryan Sours and Steve Lobdell, and mixed at Audiosiege by Sours and the band’s own Brad Boatright, the two tracks — “Rejoice The End” and “Rage of Sanity” — are being finalized for a rabid new 7″ set to be let off the chain via Southern Lord in April or May. A final release date, cover art and more will be be locked down in the coming weeks.

FROM ASHES RISE formed in Nashville, Tennessee during the mid 1990s’ American crust punk surge, theirinfectious downtuned moroseness catching on worldwide almost immediately. Having relocated to Portland, Oregon, the band have unleashed three LPs, a plethora of split releases, EPs and more to date, all amidst waves of heavy underground touring. Last May the band dominated the indoor stage at the annual Maryland Deathfest gathering in Baltimore, and then in November took part the Portland show of Southern Lord’s massive The Power Of The Riff West Coast takeover.

FROM ASHES RISE remainone of the most brutally-charged and hauntingly melodic forerunners of the scene.

More details on Oro: Opus Primum –the first installment of the new two-album series from Italy’s supernatural doom sorcerers, UFOMAMMUT — have this week been confirmed.

Already known for their attention to detail with each release, including meticulous, quality artwork and packaging as expansive and layered as every obliterating UFOMAMMUT release is musically, this time they take it one notch higher and have completed a massive two-part album, set for release months apart.

Now confirmed for release in the UK on April 9th, throughout the rest of Europe on April 13th, and in North America April 17th, this week the artwork and track listing for the incredibly anticipated first installment of the series — Oro: Opus Primum — have been unveiled for the first time.

More details on the album will be released in the weeks ahead as the world awaits the arrival of UFOMAMMUT’s latest art. The second chapter in this monolithic two-part album, Oro: Opus Alter, will be released sometime in September with more details to be unveiled throughout the months following Opus Primum.

2012 will see UFOMAMMUT expanding their touring circles wider across the face of the planet in support of Oro. Stay tuned throughout the year as more details on the release and the act’s tour schedule are confirmed.

Houston progressive instrumentalists SCALE THE SUMMIT will be doing an in-store signing TOMORROW, January 31 at Sound Check in Hollywood, CA before their headlining performance at The Whisky. The signing will begin at 6:00PM. For more info, visit: http://www.soundcheckhollywood.com/.

SCALE THE SUMMIT is currently on theirfirst-ever headlining tour. The tour kicked off in the band’s hometown of Houston on Friday, and will wrap its way through the U.S. before concluding on February 20 in Shreveport, Louisiana. Support will be provided by Elitist at most shows.

SCALE THE SUMMIT formed in 2005 while attending the Musicians’ Institute in Los Angeles. The band relocated to Texas in 2006, where they recorded their self-released debut album. After signing with Prosthetic, they released Carving Desert Canyons, which Revolver called “a cinematic blast of intricately melodic fretwork and pummeling percussion,” in 2009. The band subsequently toured with Dream Theater, Devin Townsend and Between The Buried And Me, among others. SCALE THE SUMMIT also has tracks available for the Rock Band video game through the Rock Band Network, while Chris Letchford was recently featured in MetalSucks’ “Top 25 Modern Guitarists” list.

Today BrooklynVegan premieres “Quest,” the latest single from Rhode Island doom doers PILGRIM. “Quest” is the third track off the band’s forthcoming debut full-length, Misery Wizard, set for North American release on February 14, 2012.

Commented the band in a collective statement: “‘Quest’ was one of our first songs. It has a special place in our hearts. It tells the tale of a man’s grueling journey through a desert to obtain an ancient relic locked away in a palace for thousands of years.”

Check out the tune as well as an interview with the band at THIS LOCATION.

PILGRIM are the latest addition to the Metal Blade roster via Primordial frontman Alan Nemtheanga’s imprint, Poison Tongue Records. Said Pure Grain Audio in an advance review of the record: “PILGRIM is a massive slab of slow-burning, sludgy doom metal. This is true doom metal, not the hybrid bile that so many bands are passing off as doom these days. The monster riffs will bludgeon you senseless and shake you to the core, but you’ll keep coming back from more, willingly and repeatedly.” Added Sea Of Tranquility, “slow, ponderous, crushing doom, owing much to vintage Black Sabbath, Saint Vitus, Pentagram, and the like. Ominous riffs, pounding rhythms, and haunting vocals make up the formula here, and tracks such as ‘Quest,’ ‘Astaroth,’ and ‘Masters of the Sky’ mix up the slow motion death marches with speedier dirges for a wild ride.”

PILGRIM will be ravaging the East Coast this March with their soul-crushing bottom-end before making their way to Europe in May. Confirmed dates thus far are available below.

Tickets for the inaugural Decibel Magazine Tour featuring Behemoth, Watain, The Devil’s Blood and In Solitude are officially ON SALE NOW! The near month-long run, presented by Metal Blade Records, IndieMerchStore.com, FYE, ESP Guitars and Good Fight Entertainment, will commence on April 11 in Columbus, Ohio and level 23 cities before coming to a ceremonial close on May 12 in New York City.

In addition, a limited number of premium package deals are currently available directly through Decibel Magazine. For info, go to THIS LOCATION. Every ticket purchased through the Decibel Magazine page will be entered to win an ESP Guitar!

Today Noisecreep premieres behind-the-scenes footage of ORANGE GOBLIN’s “Red Tide Rising” video, the opening track off the band’s forthcoming A Eulogy For The Damned full-length, set for North American release on February 14, 2012. The video clip is loosely based on H.P. Lovecraft stories and was shot in a series of dilapidated buildings around the UK.

Elaborated vocalist Ben Ward of the video: “We made the terrible decision to make the video for ‘Red Tide Rising’ the day after the London Christmas show so it meant we all had to be up bright and early, with very severe hangovers and head down to the New Forest. Luckily it was a bright, sunny day so everyone was in good spirits and the production crew went to work setting up at the location, which was some sort of abandoned army barracks in the middle of nowhere! It could have doubled as the location for Hostel 4! In the meantime, the band was dragged halfway across Dorset to do a photo shoot whilst being attacked by rampaging horses! When we returned, thankful to be alive, we were ready to go and the recording process was very pleasant and quite a lot of fun! We already knew that the footage of us would be mixed with some animation that we’d acquired the use of so we weren’t required to do anything too ambitious, just repeatedly go over the track imagining we were playing it to 100,000 people at Wembley stadium! Fuelled by tea and biscuits we got the job done and the results look great!”

A Eulogy For The Damned is ORANGE GOBLIN’s seventh studio album and first for Candlelight Records. The ten-track offering was recorded at The Animal Farm studio in South London, UK, produced and engineered by Jamie Dodd and mastered by two-time Grammy-nominated Pink Floyd engineer Andy Jackson at Tube Mastering.

“Overall, their first record for Candlelight is pretty damn fantastic. Rockin’, riff-tastic and possibly the best record from start to finish that they’ve released yet.” – Popdose

“With a sound that splits the difference between Sabbath and Motörhead, ORANGE GOBLIN serves up a potent dose of ’70s-style metal on A Eulogy For The Damned. Gloomy doom and punk power have seldom sounded so good together.” – Metal Underground